I arrived in Ho Chi Minh and saw you at the lobby while you were reading your book. You were waiting for me and your eyes showed how tired you were after your flight from Singapore. I just came from a stressful day myself and almost never made it passed the immigration in Manila.

But we showed up and we finally saw each other after a year and a half. That was all that mattered.

White Sand Dunes, Mui Ne, Vietnam

Vietnam and Cambodia, we gave ourselves a week of pure vacation and we made sure to find time for this quick respite despite our busy schedules.

The sand dunes and the fishing village in Mui Ne, the temples of Angkor Wat, the night life in Siem Reap. All of them were great backdrops as we rediscovered each other. I wanted time to stop so we could bask in the moments longer.

Red Sand Dunes, Mui Ne, Vietnam

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Ormoc, Leyte. I arrive and I find peace.
Yet peace belies a story that refuses to settle.

I listen as I walk in the dead of night.
Sounds that unravel a mystery but ignorance plagues my mind.

I hear silence that echoes thousands of cries.
Cries that were never heard, of souls that remain unfound.

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Meet Tita Myrna and Tito Raul, she’s 52, he’s 53. A social worker in Bulacan and a tennis instructor in Abu Dhabi. They’re two of the most adventurous couples that I met during a trip in Sagada last March. They joined us in surviving the Cave Connection activity in this part of the Mountain Province.

March 4, 2011
Spelunking at the Cave Connection in Sagada

Tita Myrna & Tito Raul in action at the Cave Connection in Sagada, Mountain Province

After eating lunch, we proceeded to the entrance in Lumiang Cave to start our spelunking adventure. The Cave Connection in Sagada is one of the popular activities that one must undertake if ever you want to try exploring a cave.

Lumiang Cave

Entering at the Burial or Lumiang Cave and exiting at the Sumaging Cave, the whole duration would take at least four hours of trekking, climbing, sliding and crawling. All the while, you will be assisted with professional guides to also teach you a couple of things about the cave and some bits of information along the way.

spelunking in Sagada

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UPDATE: We just visited Dumaguete in November. They said the bakeshop has closed.

November of 2009, I spent a week in Dumaguete City in order to learn online jobs. It was a nice break since I never really had a long vacation from work. My leaves were usually spent as added days off from my normal rest days. While in the City of Gentle People, I was advised by a friend to check out oatiekin cookie bars from Tsoklat Bakeshop along Hibbard Avenue.

Tsokolat Bakeshop
Dumaguete City

Oatiekin Chocolate Fudgy Bars
photo credit: michellephilippines.blogspot.com

Oatiekin Chocolate Bars - fudgy chocolate cream bars wrapped between oatmeal blankets.

I couldn’t remember the actual note posted in a red cutout paper. But it sounded something like the description above. This was recommended to me on Facebook and a few people at the office requested me to buy these rich choco bars for them. Below is a conversation on my Facebook wall.

 
Great how technology works, no?

Prior to our online chat, I had to visit the place in order to see how their pastries tasted. The bakeshop wasn’t hard to find as it was located near a house where we lived when we were still staying in Dumaguete. Besides, the city is small so everything is easily accessible.

I arrived after lunch time and was welcomed with a quaint store between a water station and a laundry shop – really multifunctional. The bakeshop sold a number of desserts with peculiar names such as chizmosa, lanky chews, mango tango, kalamanji, hooters and so much . Pretty odd labels but still looked interesting.

Tsokolat Bakeshop Bread and Pastries
Where Sweet Dreams Come True

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